The Labor enquirer., 1887-05-28
is II Not Anarchy" for Capt.
talistS 10 Burn up
Factories.
STANDARD OIL MEN DO IT.
Details Of q Recent Conviction In
Buffalo Suppressed by the
Satanic Press.

The recent conviction Of Hiram B. Ev-
crest and Charles NJ. Everest, father and
son, and respectively president and vice.
president of the Vacuum oil company of
Rochester, N. Y, for conspiracy to rid the
oil business Of the completion Of the Buff
falo fabrication oil works by hiring an
untrustworthy employe to blow them up,
is tantamount to popular condemnation
of the brigandage pursued by the Stan
dard oil monopoly. Three-fourths of the
Vacuum stock Is held by three Of the trus-
tees of the Standard company, and the
former concern Ia managed by the Stan
dard as one OF its agencies for crushing
competitors and getting control of the
whole business of oil refining. The evil
dence also showed conclusively that the
policy Of the Rochester branch was
dictated and controlled at the Stan.
dard headquarters. II was simply ten
tacle OF the octopus, moved at the will of
the creature itself.
The story of the conspiracy established
by the prosecution was to the effect that
in 1880 the Everests sold three-fourths
interests in the Vacuum company to three
representatives of the Standard, which
thereby became the owner Of both the
Vacuum and the Everests. Soon after the
sale three of the latter's employes-Chas
d. Matthews, Albert A. Miller, and j.
Scott Wilson-decided to go to Buffalo
and start in the oil business for them
selves. They built their works and incor-
porated the Buffalo Lubricating oil com
pany, the active management being in
the hands of Miller, who Is practical oil
rehner and understands all the processes
of the business. The rest of the story is
thus told
One day in June, 1881, an explosion
took place. Miller Disappeared; but it
was presently discovered that he was in
the employ of the Standard oil company
and receiving high wages for doing ap-
parently nothing. He went, to New York,
to Boston, and thence to California. In
time he returned to Cory, Pa. where he
belongs, and at last disclosed to Mr..
Matthews the history of the explosion. 1t
was simply that the Everests threatened
him at the time he left their employ that
he and his partners would be ruined, the
elder saying to him Significantly: I'VE
have $75,O00,OO0 behind us and will crush
YOU" Threats have been tried, tempta-
zion was resorted to, and under temptation
he fell. The day Of the explosion he
placed $50 barrels Of petroleum in the
still, heated everything red-hot, and
weighted the safety-valve 40 that II would
not act. Then he left the works, went
over TO mandatory owned by the Stan
dard, little ways of, and awaited results.
The result was an explosion which but
for unexpected circumstances would have
completely destroyed the Buffalo compa-
ny's works.
The testimony was thoroughly convinc-
ing, particularly that of Mr.. Truesdale, a
member Of the Rochester bar, who proved
that the Everests we're calculating the
chances Of criminal suit against them
long before the attempt was made to blow
up the Buffalo works. aud that they even
asked him how far they could safely go
In an attempt to injure the works. II was
the hand OF the Everests at work, but
back of them was the secret Standard
combination working for the ruin of the
Buffalo concern by harassing II with suits
for the alleged infringement Of worthless
patents, by bribing men to interfere with
its business, and by buying up the sources
from which II received II crude petroleum
so as to cut of its material supply and
compel II to stop business. II came to
the defense OF its agepts, the Everests, in
vain. II bullied and threatened its ven
geance even in the courtroom against
Matthews, who had dared to stand up like
a man and fight the octapus. The dis
trict attorney in summing up said: II
tremble when | think of his future, for
the word has gone forth from the great
Rockefeller, right in this courtroom that
this man Matthews shall be crushed and
he will never be able to manufacture an
other barrel OF oil successfully" Even
after the verdict was brought in the Stan
dard oil company served its notice that it
should never be enforced. 1t may be,
however, that justice long deferred is at
last beginning to overtake this huge and
corrupt monopoly. II is the first time,
We believe. that IL has found itself unable
to protect its agents from the operation
OF the law One OF its tentacles has been
smitten aud other blows may follow.
nau,oI E.,t,. al -.